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Happy New Year, everyone! I hope the holidays left y’all with plenty of relaxation, time with friends, wonderful gifts, and of course… alcohol. Can’t forget the alcohol ;) So sad, January 2nd is now upon us so I guess it’s time to revisit the Real World, take down my Christmas tree, and dive back into my nine to five job. Wah!

I’m going to kick this year off with the very first thing I made in 2013- the Coppélia from Papercut Patterns
YUM. That’s my short-list review of this cardy, if you must know.

Santa (or maybe Jesus?) must have been following my wishlist something fierce, because Katie generously sent me this pattern (along with the La Sylphide and DON’T YOU WORRY, because I have words for that one too!!). My experience with Papercut Patterns is brand-spankin’ new – I’ve long admired the sweet styles that are offered, and the delightful packaging that the patterns are wrapped up in. And you know what? I was NOT disappointed with the actual pattern – or the finished garment. I could wax poetic about this wrap all day, but I’m going to stop because I don’t want to make anyone sick. Just know that when it comes to Papercut Patterns, the answer should always be yes.

I know my fabric choice here is a little… different. Haha! Honestly, I’ve actually had a hard time lately pulling myself away from the looks that I see outlined on the pattern envelopes. For some reason, this isn’t too much of an issue with Colette Patterns, but something about the photography with these particular patterns just makes me want to wrap myself in pastel chiffons and roll around in a field of wildflowers. Except it’s winter here (ooh 40* brr! DON’T JUDGE ME) and I look like shit in pastels. Anyway, every time I thought about my future lover Coppélia, I envisioned her in white. Realizing that I need to make a wearable muslin for this top (since I’m unfamiliar with how these patterns are drafted), and then realizing that I had a very large yardage of this god-awful zigzaggy sheer polyester monstrosity that’s been sitting my stash for at least 3 years… Coppélia The Disco Queen was born. And OMFG I KIND OF LIKE HER.

The fabric is kind of uncomfortable, though. What can I say? It’s a very heavy, very cheap polyester that I bought from $1/yard table at Walmart. And it’s totally sheer. But it works, somehow.

The size XS fit me *almost* perfectly straight out of the envelope. I had to pull a good 1″ chunk out of the center back – which, I’d already cut my pieces, so the back now has a seam – but I have a fairly small back/ribcage, so this does not surprise me. I also tapered the sleeves down to an XXS as they were a bit baggier than I prefer. In the future, I will shorten the sleeves as well – they’re a bit long (I folded the cuffs back so it’s not noticeable on this top). All in all, the fit is pretty nice, though!
Also, I have no idea what I’m doing in the above picture. Sniffing my armpit, I guess?

I love how cozy and snuggly this top turned out! I can only imagine how much I’ll love it in a nicer fabric – especially something with a bit more drape. This is an actual wrap top – which means when I untie the ties, the whole thing opens up in the front like a cardigan (i.e., not a mock wrap!). Surprisingly, the gape factor here is pretty much nonexistent. I spent all day in this shirt and never once worried about exposing more than I intended. Yay!

If you’re wondering how I already made a top this year and we’re only 2 days in – it was a SUPER fast make! I used my serger to sew most everything (except a small bit of topstitching along the bottom hem for the band), and I think my total sewing time came in around 45 minutes. I didn’t stay out late on NYE – I’m an old lady when it comes to my bedtime, I was out by 10:30PM! – so I was up by 10AM, had a leisurely breakfast and quickie sewing sesh, then made it to Gallatin to eat black-eyed peas and collard greens with my parents by 1PM :) Yay for New Years!

The pattern instructions are great – they are brief and to the point, without a lot of unnecessary hand-holding (although they are not so brief that a knit n00b would have no idea what is going on). Same with the pattern markings – there are notches to match the pieces, but not a metric shit-ton. This is perfectly fine and dandy with me. I don’t need a bunch of notches to match up a sleeve seam, you know? Just tell me how to get it on the bodice, I think I can figure it out from there!

I also really love the construction method for this top – it was very straightforward and intuitive, very very similar to how to like to sew my knits. So maybe I’m just a little biased haha ;)

Here’s a good look at the sheerness of the fabric – the zigzags are solid on top of a knit mesh (that’s my hand behind it). It’s not so noticeable on this top, especially since I am wearing a nude bra, but it would definitely show in something like a dress. Hence why I had so much yardage and never did anything with it – the fabric is heavy enough on it’s own, and adding an underlining just makes it even worse. So I’m glad I figured out a use for it :)

I definitely plan on making more of these – I actually skipped my lunch break today to take advantage of the semi-annual sale at Textile Fabrics (which, if you live in Nashville: GO. 40% off everything, yo!). I only let myself buy knits, but I got some awesome stuff – stripes, silky drapey rayon, and a lovely woolish sweater knit that is turning into Film Noir Coppélia STAT. Which I’m hoping will be easier to match with bottoms :) Haha!

Hopefully a first successful sewing project means all of 2013 will be successful sewing projects too! HAHA ok, maybe that’s a little optimistic – but optimism is good, yeah?

61 Responses to “Completed: the Coppélia Cardy”

Well it is a shame that the fabric is not good, because the colors look terrific on you. Me likie very much! No show, even when you bend over? That is the reason that I usually don’t like a true wrap top. Come on, tell the truth!

Totally true! My next incarnation of this top will probably include multiple pictures of myself contorting…. myself… into various positions to prove the no-gape! For this photo sesh, my battery died too early :)

Looks fantastic, even if the fabric by itself looks a bit crazy! I only just heard of papercut patterns a month or so ago, but this is the first rendition of their patterns I have seen and I am very intrigued! Great job!!

It looks great! I like this pattern, but I decided to preorder the Pavlova instead since they’re similar styles, but the Pavlova was $10 cheaper and has a circle skirt pattern that uses the smallest amount of yardage on a circle skirt that I’ve ever seen and make’s my swing dancing heart weep with joy.

Ohhh yes, I am dying to try the Pavlova out! I figured both patterns have enough differences to make them both worth my sewing while – the Coppélia has raglan sleeves, the Pavlova has kimono sleeves. Plus they both sit a little differently on the body :) And yeah, I’m super excited about that skirt pattern part!

thanks for the detailed review! i also just got this pattern from papercut – yay free shipping sale – and am so excited about making it as one of my first 2013 projects. love your “muslin” version and looking forward to seeing more of them.

I’m so glad you posted a review of this! I’m literally sitting on my couch right now cutting out the pattern pieces and instructions, going through my feed reader, and tah-dah! It looks great on you, can’t wait to see your next version.

If it helps, that’s actually NZ$25 – so about US$20, not that much more than you’d pay for, say, Colette or Sewaholic. Not sure what shipping would be, however, but spare a thought for those of us in NZ etc. who have to worry about that all the time!

I like these patterns – they’re not really my style, but it’s nice to see an indie Kiwi pattern company :-)

Yeah, the shipping is pretty high – which, you know, happens when you’re dealing with the other side of the world! I’m really really hoping that there will eventually be an American supplier. Maybe it could even be me haha! Papercut Patterns for everyone!

Yeah, we have to deal with it ALL. THE. TIME. Shipping down here from the US can be astronomical. But then, shipping within NZ is also astronomical – I once got yarn sent from the UK for less than it would cost to get it sent about an hour down the road.

NZ$25 actually comes out to US$20 (as mentioned below), which I don’t think is a terrible price. It’s really not much more than Colette or Sewaholic patterns – not to mention *all* that money is going into someone’s small business (and not into the neverending giant vat of money at the Big 4). I like supporting small businesses, even if that means I can only afford a fraction of stuff due to the price :)

And as far as not wanting to pay $25 for a RTW version – ouch! That’s really really cheap, and you have to wonder about the real human cost to get it that low :(

Hahaha, well, don’t get too excited for Walmart… most of that cheap fabric is pretty terrible! But there can occasionally be some gems in there for sure, if you can find a Walmart that still sells fabric anyway :)

That top looks great- the colors and the pattern suit you very well. If it’s uncomfortable, you could always wear a camisole or even a long-sleeve t-shirt underneath (a favorite trick of mine, for both warmth and for dealing with low necklines, etc).

I was originally planning on making a cami to wear under it, but it’s not terribly see-through so I scrapped that plan. It’s not exactly uncomfortable to wear – although I imagine the poly would be very hot in the summer!

I’m a little terrified of it but I am going to make a muslin so I can throw caution to the wind – it advises ‘expert’ sewing skills are required (I’m hoping expert google skills are just as valid LOL). Hoping to get started on the muslin soon – I’m going to take my sweet time as it’s a hungry little beast that pattern. 2013 is The Year of the Jacket in my sewing world.

I LOOOVE it! I also love how quick and zippy knits go together! It’s so gratifying! This looks like a lovely (southern) winter cardi! Get use out of those wacky poly’s while it’s chilly out, I say! Saw your fabric haul on Instagram and I’m totally jealous.

I just got mine in the mail 5 minutes ago! I’m so psyched. Yours looks fantastic and I cannot wait to try it. I have a teal-ish bamboo sweater-y knit set aside. But first I should finish my Thurlows — and I wanted to tell you I’m using your sew-along, which has been indispensable! I just did one back welt pocket yesterday and today I want to do the second one. I’m very slow, I wish I could have churned that second one out last night but I just had to take a break.

By the way I ordered the Pavlova too…I really liked both designs and I decided to splurge. What the hell, right?

Your cardi turned out really well. I just ordered 4 patterns from Papercut the other day, I just have to wait for her to get back from her wedding holiday to ship them. Sadly, the Coppelia was not in my order but perhaps I should add it…

ii like this ever so much, and i love the colours, but i also like your skirt – what was the pattern for it?
i love it when you have new stuff posted, that sounds stalkerish but you are a brilliant at getting me motivated to get of my lazy butt!! x

Oh, the skirt is actually RTW that was given to me last year. It’s just a half circle skirt, made with black wool. It would be *very* easy to recreate!
And thank you! Doesn’t sound stalkerish at all, I love hearing stuff like that :) Inspiration is what I like to do the most! :)

Cute, cute, cute! Bummer about the crappy fabric, but eh, it happens sometimes. So. Weird question, but what exactly would you say collard greens taste like? Are they like spinach? Cabbage? Something else??

Hmmm good question! I confess I’ve only had them prepared one way – simmered all day in water with a bit of vinegar and a ham hock – but they are pretty similar to kale or spinach. Actually, I think my mom puts kale and mustard greens in the batch as well. I love my greens! :)

Okay I totally thought this was going to be a knit cardigan and I was like What! I’ve never heard of a pattern called Coppelia! Hee hee. This is super cool, I love how jazzy it looks with the pattern. I could even see you dressing it up with a black pencil skirt. I’m definitely going to have to check out this pattern line!

Wow, this looks great on you! And as with everyone else above, amazing that you’ve created something so beautiful out of fabric that could have proven to be a disaster. You’re like some sort of sewing savant.

Cute! It has a really flattering cut. If I had seen that fabric on the bolt, I would never have thought of a way to use it, but it works for this top. It’s a shame the fabric is uncomfortable. At least it’s a quick project, so you can sew up more of them to make up for it.